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23 May 2016

Ruminations – 23may16 (updated 27may16)

George Rebane

Yesterday we returned from a couple of weeks in Europe with friends visiting Czech Republic, Austria, Slovakia, and Hungary. Somewhere I picked up massive cold augmented by the Hungarian Hack that I brought home on a miserable return from Budapest to SFO in three draining hops. Air travel (we traveled first and biz class) has lost all of its glory and glamour, and for some years now has been Greyhound with wings. I’ll have more to say in upcoming posts what we saw in the capitals and country sides of those countries.

An example of the power of unions to put a business on its knees was evident in our last leg from O’Hare to SFO on AA. It seems that the co-pilot spilled hot coffee all over his right hand seat and then refused to fly until they replaced the cushion with a dry one. What happened over the next two hours is too painful to recount in detail. The captain was helpless and kept feeding the fuming passengers pabulum for two hours while we were parked at the gate; he mainly asked that we wouldn’t take it out on the cabin crew. Finally people who would miss their SFO connections started exiting the plane (leaving their luggage behind) as AA mechanics were desperately searching for a spare 737 cushion at one the world’s largest airports. A painfully obese mechanic kept bringing cushions that for one reason or another weren’t exactly kosher, and had a hell of time fitting into the cockpit in his attempt to try them out in situ. Long story short, we arrived in SFO 2.5 hours late, and then there was a mix-up in getting our bags to the terminal – don’t ask. Finally, acknowledging the concerns of the sumbich who didn’t want to sit on a plastic bag, the first class seats in the plane were as old as the airframe and all sat out. It felt like sitting in a chair whose front legs were two inches shorter than the back ones. And there’s more …

NPR reported this morning that Sacramento will expand Medicaid coverage to illegal aliens in 35 more counties to that “more Californians can receive healthcare.” It appears that butt stupid liberal thought has been picking up steam in our absence. When was the last time that you could illegally enter Mexico and then be referred to as being Mexicans by the Mexican government?

Europeans are so frustrated with their governments that populism is now rampant – witness yesterday’s Austrian election. The ‘Socialist dream’ of that continent has foundered by every measureable (more later) with their unemployable populations burgeoning while the producers are told that taxes and regulations will be increased to more evenly divide what’s left. Young people, dismally ignorant and with no visible prospects, are wandering around the Schengen countries supposedly looking for work or bigger handouts. Meanwhile our lamestream continues to promote the National Lie that everything there is hunky-dory and we need to be more like them. What you see in the capitals is not what you see in the countryside.

Finally, apologies for letting the last sandbox continue for so long. My cold, connectivity, and a demanding cruise schedule left the happy hour as the only slack in the day, and I didn’t think anyone would dun me for setting properly setting my priorities.

[24may16 update] Heard on NPR this morning that TSA security administrator Kelly Hogan was “removed” from his job due to long security lines across the nation and especially at O’Hare where we witnessed them last Saturday. The interview with SecHSA Jah Johnson this morning was the usual mealy mouthed cover up of gross incompetence. The firing was doubly embarrassing because Hogan had received over $90K of bonuses for outstanding performance over the last year when in fact none was in evidence. This again confirms that there is literally NOTHING that government does well, and most certainly not better than what private (non-corporatist) industry can do. Of course none of this makes no never mind to our big government liberal readers. (more here)

[25may16 update]Socialist thugs rioted at a Trump rally last night in Albuquerque in the attempt to stop the candidate from speaking. Waving banners like “We’ve heard enough”, throwing stones and burning objects at police, the leftwing crowd put on what has become a typical response across the nation to speakers they oppose either on or off campuses. As reported by Associated Press (here) their biggest burr was Trump’s initiatives to stop the illegal entry across our borders and succor illegal aliens in our midst. Evaluating her walk vs talk, even New Mexico’s Republican (sic) governor Susana Martinez supports easy access to our land and largesse by illegals. Now we will again hear that the Left really does support free speech.

And regarding that great socialist idea of a high minimum wage, a correspondent sends this corporate decision from MacDonald's as a response to hiring humans at such butt stupid wages. The question stands - are the socialist elites evil or just stupid like their constituents?

[26may16 update] Mexicans protesting at Trump rally in California. This photograph from the 26may16 WSJ puts into sharp focus the real agenda of those who oppose the construction and maintenance of secure borders for America.

[27may16 update] For joy, in education today’s “most important news is that voucher students show ‘statistically significant’ improvement in math and reading test scores.” The lying Left will continue to tell its low-info constituents that no such thing is possible - government-designated, union-operated schools are just as good or better than any alternatives, and can be improved even more by pouring in more money. (more here)

Your experience on AA is a prime reason I retired 4 years early - I was ashamed of the service we provided and had no control over it. Some airlines have improved, but not AA. The Captain has zero authority to do anything. Well, maybe tell the FO to sit on it, but even then he is not in command of the crew. The FO should eat some for this. You are dealing with 30,000 employees who feel no loyalty to the customer or the company. The unions and management are to blame, as are the employees. I just flew home from Salt Lake on another airline - 10 hours total in terminals or on airplanes. Nuts.

This is what our freedom loving Republican Senate is up to. Here's evidence as to why I'm voting Libertarian:

"A provision snuck into the still-secret text of the Senate’s annual intelligence authorization would give the FBI the ability to demand individuals’ email data and possibly web-surfing history from their service providers without a warrant and in complete secrecy.

If passed, the change would expand the reach of the FBI’s already highly controversial national security letters. The FBI is currently allowed to get certain types of information with NSLs—most commonly information about the name, address, and call information associated with a phone number or details about a bank account."

Paul, they need that provision to keep tabs on that Dozer character. Nah, just kidding. We are not that important, us hicks covered with tics living in yonder sticks. Some may disagree with my assessment....because they are under the illusion that they are indeed that important. What, me worry?

BTW, reports that TSA Security Administrator Kelly Hogan was fired is wrong, wrong, wrong. Only the part about the 90k bonus for failing 95% of the security check tests is true.
Nope, Hogan was removed from the position and is receiving full pay as he is awaiting to be "reassigned" to another position. No position is currently available, but his checks just keep on coming. A 95% failure rate is worth more than a measly $90,000.00 bonus. No word if he plans to give it back or sue because it wasn't' nearly enough. Wonder if Lois Lerner is still on the payroll.
Heard they cannot fire Hogan anyway. It would be mean to send him out into the cold cruel world of the private sector. Or, maybe he could become a lobbyist after his stint as a public servant with many more unearned bonuses padding his retirement. Poor man. He is the victim here....a victim of his own ineptitude.

BillT 951pm - Mr Tozer, I understand your point about the new revelation that Hogan does not have to look for a new job. But we may still consider him 'fired', as first reported, from his position as security chief. This case illustrates the problem with all government scumbags and incompetents that make up almost all of its workforce. As civil servants they literally cannot be fired for anything short of a felony, else they will sue, and either be restored or put on easy street with an outlandish award. And this is the institution to which the loony Left wants to give additional powers and responsibilities??

Dr. Rebane.
Excellent catch of my real point, the larger issue. Yes, the dude has been removed and yes, he is still on the taxpayers' Gravey Train until death do us part.

The Left is puzzled by us knuckledraggers on at least two main points,
1) They say we on the Right do not trust government. Very puzzling to them, almost incomprehensible.
2). The Left cannot comprehend why us inbred ignoramuses are fearful of socialism. I can only reply with two experiements that do make me fearful. Stalin and Mao, off the top of me noggin. Ok, Venezuela and Cuba to be more up with the times and closer to home.

Remember Bill to the left government isn't the mere administration of the states business. To the left government is the embodiment of their faith (Although I consider President Chair Warmer to be a pretty mediocre "Big Brother"). Much like the Catholic Church to would shuffle around pedophile priests when their crimes drew too much publicity, the government will keep Mr. Hoggan around until the public has another shiny object upon which to fixate and then place him in a another well compensated, yet probably unnecessary position well out of the limelight.

BradC 951am - thanks for that heads up Mr C. Yes, we are waiting for the first hardware demonstration of error correction in quantum computing, and perhaps this new approach will open the door. If so, look for a big quantum (sic) leap in the progress toward practical quantum computers.

In nearly 60 percent of U.S. counties, more businesses closed their doors than opened them from 2010 through 2014 — a severe entrepreneurial slump during what was supposedly an economic recovery.

That finding comes from a new analysis of census data from the Economic Innovation Group, a research and advocacy group backed by a tech-heavy group of investors, including Napster co-founder Sean Parker. In most of the country, closings outpaced openings, a trend driven mostly by a steep drop in startups. Meanwhile, a relative handful of counties, mostly those in big metropolitan areas, accounted for most of the new businesses that were formed during the period.

The findings aren’t necessarily a surprise. Nationally, entrepreneurship rates have been falling for three decades, a worrisome trend that economists don’t fully understand. But the report emphasizes how economic opportunity is becoming increasingly concentrated in the biggest cities, while smaller cities and rural areas struggle.

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Economists need to look at the rapid rise of business inhibiting regulations that started in the late 1970s and is accelerating today. It is harder and harder to start a business today than it was before the regulatory onslaught that started in the 1970s.